Don't Let These Adorable Monsters Starve!

They Need To Be Fed ($0.99) by YoYo Games Ltd. is a clever platformer that throws in the physics of 360 degree gravity. The end result is a game that is just a lot of pure awesome.

The goal of the game is simple – get these small creatures into the mouths of the bigger creatures, which are hungry (obviously!). Hence the name; I like it when game names get right to the point, don’t you?

The graphics in this game are absolutely gorgeous. They may seem simple, but it doesn’t make it any less great. Animations are fluid, the screen isn’t cluttered, and everything just seems perfect. The music and sound effects are a delight as well – I didn’t feel like I needed to turn the sound off, like I do in some other games.

So how do you move your little creature around the level? There are two buttons in the lower left that allow you to run left and right, and another button on the right to allow your guy to jump. Sounds simple, right?

Well, once you take into account the gravity and 360 degrees of movement, things can get tricky. I found myself getting a bit thrown off once I ended up on a wall, or completely upside-down – the left and right directions will be up and down or the opposite direction. It definitely needs some time to get used to, but it’s still incredibly fun. And the best thing is that you can never fall off the screen (to an invisible death) because of the gravity. Neat, right?

Of course, what’s a platformer game without obstacles? You will encounter spikes, moving platforms, and other dangers before you reach the end of the level. Along the way, there are diamonds to collect (over 200) that will unlock new worlds. If you manage to collect all of the diamonds and don’t die, you’ll be awarded a star for your perfect performance.

There are 11 worlds for you to play through, with each containing seven standard levels. If you do well enough, you can even unlock some bonus levels. For those that want to know how much you are getting for your buck, there are actually a total of 80 levels to complete.

The game also has full Game Center integration for achievements (36 total), so there is a lot of replay value here.

TNTBF is just one of the best little casual games I’ve picked up for a while. Gameplay is incredibly fun and addictive, visuals are top-notch, and music/sound effects are truly the icing on the cake.

If you are looking for a new game for killing some time, then definitely give this one a try. This is one game that will be remaining on my iPhone (and soon-to-be iPad!) for a while. Check it out.